Belgic, than betwixt the fame Greek and the many others, which are sprung, as well as the FlandroBelgic, from the antient Saxon. SOME other Writers, cited by our Author, maintain, that the Flandro-Belgic Tongue is more antient than the Greek, and that the Words, common to both, were by the latter borrowed of the former, which they prove thus. The prefent Flandro-Belgic, (or, as others call it, Celto-Belgic) is much the fame with the antient Gothic, of which there is fuch a great number of Words, (and those quite Gothic) to be found in the Greek, as to make it clearly appear, that this owes, in great measure, its origin to the Gothic. Others, in order to prove that the Words, common to both Languages, were originally Gothic, argue thus. The Goths, (who were the fame with the Gete or Scythians) having over-run and fubdued Thracia, fettled themselves in that Country: Now tho' we fhould allow, fay they, that the Language then current there, was the Greek; yet it is more likely, that the Conquered conformed to the Language of the Conquerors, than the Conquerors to that of the Conquered; and, by confequence, that the Words, now common to both Languages, were originally peculiar to the Gothic. This Opinion is fuftained by John Chamberlayn, who has been at the pains to give us the Lord's Prayer in an Hundred and Fifty-two different Languages. It contradicts what Quid wrote upon this Subject, viz. that the Greek Words used by the Gete or Scythians, were introduced amongst them by a Colony fent thither from Greece, and were, in his time, fo corrupted and murdered by the Getic Pronunciation, that that he could with difficulty understand them. Trift. Lib. III. Eleg. 8. Hic quoque funt igitur Graja (quis crederet ?) urbes, Huc quoque Mileto miffi venere Coloni, THE Contrary Opinion has been elegantly delivered by Ulitius, in the following Verses. Et Scytha Gnuriades Anacharfis, regia Proles, Thrax Sophos Efopus, Phrygia licet ortus, habendus, Emulus Efopo Thrax quoque Phædrus, erant. Sed prius illi iidem primave elementa loquela В 3 Quid? Quid? quod & baud alia diftinguant voce Parentes?* MR. HOOGSTRATANUS is pleafed to tell us, that the Niceties of Greek Poetry have been better imitated, and more properly expreffed by the Flemish Poets, than even by the Latins. As the Flemish Poets are Gentlemen, whom we have not the honour to be much acquainted with, we leave them to judge of what this Writer advances, who are better verfed in their Language, and more able to discover fuch Beauties. OTHER Authors are of opinion, that neither the Greek sprung from the Gothic, nor the Gothic from the Greek; but that both, together with the Latin, owe their Origin to that Language, which was fpoken by the Off-spring of Japheth. OUR Author, after having produced these and many other fuch Teftimonies, proceeds thro' all the Parts of Speech, fhewing in each of them a great Affinity between the Greek and Flemish Languages. He alfo gives us a copious. Lexicon of fuch Greek Words as bear any Refemblance to the Flemish. This Resemblance is, in fome, pretty far fetched, and not unlike that which a modern Etymologist discovered between the Græ. Tup. Goth. fatter. матир. Goth. moeder. φρατωρ Aol. brother. Goth. Sujang. daubtar. Goth. Belg. doghter, &.c. + Kepaan. hopf. Alam. vu. kniw Goth. knie Belg. figgr. Goth. a 0912, Belg. finger, wos. fotus Goth. foes Alam. voet Belg. &c. the Spanish Word Alfana and the Latin Equus, which gave occafion to the following Epigram. Alfana vient d'Equus fans doute: In English. Alfana comes from Equus, true; However, the Author fhews a great deal of Erudition throughout the whole Work, which cannot fail being approved of by fuch as relish this kind of Learning. ARTICLE V. Euftathij Diaconi à Supplicibus Libellis, & Oratorum Magiftri, poftea Archiepifcopi Theffalonicenfis, Commentarij in Homeri Iliadem. Alexander Politus Florentinus de Cl. Reg. Scholarum piarum nunc primum Latine vertit, recenfuit, Notis perpetuis illuftravit. Accedunt Notæ Antonij Maria Salvini V. Cl. Florentiæ, 1730. Apud Bernardum Paperinum. That is, The Commentaries of Euftathius, Archbishop of Theffalonica, upon Homer's Iliad, now for the first time tranflated B 4 into into Latin, revised and illuftrated with Notes, by Alexander Politi of the Regular Clergy of the Schola Pix: with the Notes of Antonio Maria Salvini upon the first Book of the Iliad. Florence 1730. 1 vol. Fol. p. 520. TH HE Title of this Work fufficiently recommends it to the Curious, it being the firft Tranflation of Euftathius's Commentaries upon Homer, that has ever been hitherto publifhed in any Language. 'Tis true that many very able and ingenious Men, being well apprized of the great Advantages, that would accrue to the learned World from fuch a Tranflation, have, at different times, undertaken it; but, whether they were deterred by the many Difficulties they had to struggle with, or otherwife prevented from the purfuit of fo commendable a Defign, not one of them has fucceeded in the Attempt, fo as to communicate any Performance of this kind to the Publick. What we read in the Bibliotheca Hifpana, viz. that Vincentius Marinerus, tranflated into Latin, both Homer and Euftathius, is by the generality of the Learned, thought to have been a Mistake, fince fuch a Tranflation is mentioned by no other Author, nor found in any other Library. Father Politi, of the Order commonly called in Italy de' Scolopii, is the first that has. enriched the Latin Tongue, with so valuable a Treafure as Euftathius's Commentaries upon Homer, in which, as he fuggefts in his Preface, all the Wisdom, Eloquence and Politeness of Greece are fummed up. As to F. Politi's Performance, it is fuch (to give in few Words the true Cha |